Probe tied series of shootings to a war with rival group.

These weapons were seized from members of the Texas Syndicate during an 18-month investigation. The probe led to 18 people being indicted.

Photo By KIN MAN HUI/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Raymond Ramirez (foreground) is one of four alleged members of the Texas Syndicate that had a hearing Tuesday on charges of racketeering. Following Ramirez are Jerry Donel and Adam Chavez.

Earlier this year, some law officers in San Antonio were puzzled by what seemed to be a stretch of random shootings.

There was a young man shot while waiting for a bus. A middle-aged man gunned down on a trip to a store. A young couple ambushed by attackers with assault rifles.

But a drug seizure in 2010 had opened a probe in which authorities connected those shootings to the killings of two gang members in 2008, and to a theory: The Texas Syndicate had declared war on a rival gang, the Tango Orejón/Orejones, and it was mowing down others, too.

“There were a number of shootings that appeared just random and unexplained,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Joey Contreras said. “In the course of this drug investigation, it became clear that this was a pattern of violence that was being carried out by a small crew of individuals.”

Authorities responded this week with federal indictments charging 18 members of the Austin-based Texas Syndicate, blaming them for a wave of shootings, drug-trafficking, extortion, gun dealing and other crimes.

Four of them appeared Tuesday in federal court — Raymond “Minor” Ramirez, 40; Manuel Mancha, 25; Adam “Rookie” Chavez, 28, and Jerry “Pelón” Donel, 30, a former Marine who had served two tours in Iraq.

Despite attempts by their lawyers to minimize their involvement, a judge declared them dangers to the community and flight risks and denied them bond. The 14 others are in custody pending bond hearings.

Contreras said the Drug Enforcement Administration led the case but it began with a drug bust by Bexar County Sheriff's Office deputies, which produced information that Texas Syndicate members had been told to “go out hunting for members of the Tango Orejón/Orejones gang.”

Ramirez and another man shot Gonzalez while he waited for a bus March 22 on South Brazos Street, but he survived, Contreras said.

Lambirth, 47, was shot March 26 as he drove on Loop 410 at the Exchange Parkway exit while on a run for transmission fluid. A bullet severed his spine, killing him instantly, Contreras said.

Priscilla Vidaurri, 32, was killed and Henry Vidaurri, 31, was hit but survived an attack July 2 in front of their West Side home by a carload of gang prospects, who later were rewarded with full membership, Contreras said.

He said Mancha shot at a fleeing Henry Vidaurri, who threw the couple's 9-year-old son to get him out of the way, while Mark Anthony “Jax” Jimenez, 25, and Francisco “Pancho” Arroyo, 32, sprayed the Vidaurri's house, vehicle and nearby homes with bullets.

Contreras said the group was after Henry Vidaurri's brother, Andrew Vidaurri, 30, then a Texas Syndicate chairman who's now charged in the 2008 slayings of fellow gang members George Escobedo, 59, and George Davenport, 31.

“They just didn't like the way he ran the gang,” Contreras said of Andrew Vidaurri. “They had no reservation to use violence.”